11.The Nexus Hammer Mk2 Tank
The Nexus Hammer Tank is an elusive Havok piece of kit. Originally supplied boxed with 3 Stormtroopers, sales didn’t go too well and production was ramped back. It was also around this time that Bluebird were having problems, and proposed future releases of the Pteravore Screamer and the Hellhound were put on hold. Hammer Tanks do come up for auction occasionally on Ebay, but also command a premium price. Three examples that I’ve seen in the past 2 years have not gone for less than £30. Because of this I converted my Hundred Warriors into Storm Troopers see article 4. Redefining some Havok Roles in "Modification of Existing Miniatures". :This left me with a real need to acquire some Hammer Tanks, since none were forthcoming on on-line auction forums I had to have a think about what I wanted. I was quite prepared to convert a model to get a reasonable likeness to the Hammer.The vehicle would have to look like that it was possible to accommodate 6 Troopers within the hull. The Bluebird Hammer Tank does stretch the imagination a little. Finally it would have to look reasonably good and be well constructed. However looking around for a candidate which met these criteria was to say the least, difficult. On line, I came across an Ebay shop which was selling a Tank with 12 soldiers for under a fiver. The Item was from an army range called “Combat Force”. Since it looked promising I bought a couple. The tanks were supplied Grey or Green and you could choose which colour, so I picked green and awaited the Postman! See Fig 1 :The Model is packed in an attractive cellophane window display pack, and on opening this and discarding the soldiers I examined the Tank more closely. :Fig 2. Front Right View of the Combat Force Tank. Note the primitive camouflage of black on the green plastic moulding! There are two Cupolas on the turret, both which open. :Fig 3. Front Left View of the Combat Force Tank. The Tank is solidly built with screws for reinforcement. Note that some of the mouldinglines will need to be trimmed. :Fig 4. There are doors at the Rear of the Tank in order for troopers to be embarked and disembarked. This is in line with the Hammer Battlecard which states that Troopers are to be discharged this way. Also on the doors is a gun mounting, the plastic gun which I’ve removed. On the rear R.H.S of the Turret is a rotating black gun which here is shown in it’s stowed condition. It can be clearly seen that there are additional moulding lines and flash that need to be removed. But things are looking promising! :Fig 5. Moving from the rear hatch to the LHS we can see the Left Hand cargo door, this can also be used for Troop disembarkation or for Ammunition and loading of provisions. Again Flash is everywhere. :Fig 6. The Right hand hatch houses a gun mounting for an assault gun which is supplied. I don’t like this gun either but I’ve called the Hatch the Assault Hatch for obvious reasons. :Fig 7. The Front Hatch is very like the rear in that it hinges in two and carries a gun mounting. Again I’ve removed the gun, Evaluation :The Tank is good value for money with great potential for conversion. The model is roughly finished however and a bit of work will have to be undertaken to remove all mould lines as far as is practicable and also to remove the flash. There is flashing in abundance on the upper and lower Turret pieces the centre lines of the tracks and the gun mantle cut-out. I noticed that some mould lines will just have to remain. I felt that the gun was too small for a Hammer Tank which is supposed to be a Kanone of 150mm calibre. In my Tank I will not utilise the Front loading doors as I think it lessens the credibility of the vehicle to look straight through it when the rear doors are open as well!!! :The conversion is fairly straightforward and centres around the Gun-Barrell mainly. The first requirement is for a piece of plastic tube of 5mm bore, outside diameter of 9mm approximately 115mm long (Fig 8.). Standard plastic sections of varying sizes are available at most Railway model shops. This length is then pushed over the existing Barrell and will stop about 5mm from the start of the tapered barrel moulding as it meets with the gun mantlet (Fig 9.). I’ve shown this on my second tank below which was a slightly darker green than my first tank. :Fig 10. Another piece of plastic tubing is now required with a 9mm bore and outside diameter of 12mm, one piece 20mm long which will slide neatly over the 5mm gap above, and the second piece 15mm long which will be placed approximately half way up the Barrel to act in the purpose of a blast suppressor. :Fig 11. I placed a few strips of white gummed back paper around the Blast suppressor, and finished the end of the Barrel off with a standard plastic wheel from my bits box, cut, drilled and chamfered to size. Some of the surfaces I’ve painted blue to match the original tank by Bluebird. The upper Turret, including Cupolas and the Light enclosures got the treatment. The Lower hinge sections on each side where painted a 50-50 mix of Tanned Flesh and Blood Red to match the Havok Battlecard picture.The Tracks were painted in Chainmail. :A former Hundred Warrior was painted then cut and packed into the left Cupola. Finishing this off with a Beam Phaser weapon which I had in my bits box and originally came with the Space Rangers miniatures from EM4. Finally a Lego fluorescent rod doubled as an Antenna Laser Mast and a few little decals dotted around completed the task. Fig 12. Shows the finished Hammer Mk2 Tank in three quarter rear view :Fig 13. The Hammer Mk2 Tank stops and its rear doors are deployed. Within seconds a Stormtrooper squad consisting of a Squad leader (Sergeant- far left ) and 5 Stormtroopers have disembarked and are protecting the Tank’s rear flanks. Figures 14-16 show the finished article, I changed a few decals and fitted Rocket heads to the launcher box on the Tank Turret's LH side. The possibilities for personal customisation is endless - have fun!! Hengist 20:11, November 15, 2009 (UTC)